Local businessman charged with new theft

Bratton held on $1M bond, faces 2 counts

Bratton is accused of issuing hot checks. More than $1,500 is a felony.

SAN ANGELO, Texas - San Angelo businessman Terry Bratton is being held on $1 million bond in the Runnels County Jail on a second felony theft charge.

Bratton, 46, was booked into jail March 11 on the new offense. He had not been released as of Wednesday.

Bratton is charged with two counts of felony theft between $20,000 and $100,000 — one out of Tom Green County and other out of Runnels County.

A jury trial for the initial theft charge was set for July 22, according to Tom Green County court records.

The first indictment, filed in the Tom Green County District Clerk's Office in January, included 14 paragraphs outlining various allegations of theft. Those accusations stemmed from incidents spanning July 24, 2012, through Sept. 15, 2012.

It was unclear if the theft allegations, which the indictment identified as hot checks issuances, were business or personal. Bratton is owner of Bratton's Portable Buildings.

Runnels County Sheriff Bill Baird said the county's case is being handled by the San Angelo District Attorney's Office. He said the case also dealt with bad checks.

Six people were listed in the Tom Green County indictment as victims of theft — including seven instances in which the amount was between $1,500 and $20,000 and six between $500 and $1,500.

Items the checks were intended for included lumber, building supplies, oil field supplies and vehicle parts.

In the second indictment only one person, a Runnels County man, was listed as a victim of theft.

San Angelo attorney Randol Stout is listed as Bratton's attorney. Allison Palmer, 51st District Attorney, is prosecuting the case. She could not comment on the case aside from what was presented in the indictment.

The charge was enhanced from a third-degree felony to a second-degree felony because of a 1994 conviction in a sexual assault of a child case. No report was available for the offense, which was a second- degree felony.

In February, Bratton was contacted by telephone after he was released from jail. He declined to comment on this case at that time.

Once hot check amounts reach $1,500, they become felonies and are handled by the district attorney's office. Smaller amounts are handled by the county attorney or municipal court.

Last month Bratton was also arrested on a stalking charge. According to a separate indictment he was accused "trespassing, vandalism and criminal mischief" as well as repeatedly calling and sending threatening text messages to his ex-wife. The stalking was alleged to have occurred between March 2012 through February 2013.